When Life Gets Really Hard
James 1:2-12
4-13-08
How would you respond this morning if you received a call telling you that terrorists had just blown up your house and your insurance had expired yesterday?
How would you respond if your boss called to tell you his business had fall off and he was going to have to let you go—you lost your job through no fault of your own?
How would you respond if a tornado hit and you were informed that the storm had killed all your children?
Something very close to all those things happened to Job one right after another.
Today we’re going to talk about dealing with the trials of life. How do you respond when troubles and disappointments come into your life?
The common response would be depression, discouragement; some might get mad and do something foolish. Most people would not respond the way James tells us to respond. James tells us in chapter 1, verse 2 of his book, “...count it all joy when you fall into various trials.” Someone might say, “Yea, that’s easy for you to say. You don’t have the troubles I have.” Well, we found out last week that James knew some things about trouble. In fact, a while after writing this book some people killed him because he wouldn’t deny Christ. We also learned that the people to whom James wrote his epistle were experiencing some severe trials. James is writing primarily to Christian Jews in the first century. When a Jew became a Christian in the first century, their families disowned them. They not only lost their inheritance but they were ostracized from family and friends. Today we see a similar thing happening to Muslims who convert to Christianity. Often their very lives are threatened because of their commitment to Christ. I remember a Hindu girl we led to the Lord in Texas. Her brothers beat her because she had turned from the family tradition to Christ. These people James is talking to are experiencing horrific suffering because of their faith. Most of them lost their good jobs and had to take the lowest paying jobs because they would not bow to the pagan gods of the Roman unions.
Follow with me as we read James 1:1-12.
Now let’s go back to James’ directive in verse 2, “My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into various trials.” The trials that came upon Job can suddenly.
He didn’t deserve it and he didn’t anticipate it; it just happened.
I read about a little girl who was riding along on her bike when she bumped her head on the low hanging tree branch. She ran into the house screaming, "Mom, Joey hit me!" Her Mom looked up from what she was doing and said, "Sissy, Joey didn’t hurt you. Joey’s not even here. He went to the grocery store with your dad." The little girl got this startled look on her face, and said, "You mean stuff like this can happen on its own, at anytime. Whoa, what a bummer!"
You have probably had a few times in your life when you felt like saying, “What a bummer!” Sometimes stuff just happens.
What kind of stuff was James talking about? He’s talking about all kinds of stuff. James says, “various” trials--different kinds of trials, trials that come in all shapes and colors. KJV translated it manifold trials. The trial Fanny Crosby faced was blindness. She wrote the song, “Blessed Assurance.” Maybe there was something in her trial that equipped her to write that song and about 8000 others. Your trial might be financial. You lost your job and for some crazy reason you can’t find another. John Wesley’s trial was his wife. She was high tempered and gave him all kinds of grief. Some people’s hearts are broken by their children. Some children’s hearts are broken by their parents. The point is this: James is not restricting what the trial is; it can be a lot of different things. The word he uses for trial, peirasmos, can refer to both external circumstances or internal temptations and struggles. In our experience the two can not be completely separated. When Job’s circumstances crashed, then he was tempted to curse God and die. There was a relationship between his internal struggle and his external problems. What do we do when pressures and disappointments come flying into our face?
James says, “...count it all joy” –pure, unmixed, unadulterated joy. Don’t gripe a little and praise a little. Just get happy; start rejoicing! That kind of statement requires an explanation. We don’t just naturally do that. Our natural response is just the opposite of that. So what’s going on here? How am I going to do that? Well there are some things we have to know in order to do it. And we can’t just know them at a surface level. We have to know them deep down in our knower. In our heart of hearts we have to believe what James is about to tell us. Four assurances that inspire and enable us to rejoice in whatever trial may come our way.
First, endurance will be produced by the test we go through. Verse 3 “knowing that....” Turn to the person next to you and tell him, “There are some things we’re going to have to know in order to rejoice in some of the junk that comes along.” (pause) James is saying, first you’ve got to know that the testing your going through is worth it; it produces something valuable. The Greek word hupomona that is translated patience in verse 3 is a difficult word to translate into English. It literally means a bearing up under. It’s a quality like fortitude with a component of hope—a settled confidence that is not ruffled by anything because it knows by experience God’s faithfulness. There is a big difference between a green recruit and battle-proven soldier. The recruit may have a lot of zeal but the seasoned soldier has something he doesn’t have. That seasoned soldier won’t be shaken when the shooting starts. I’ve never met anybody with much depth of character that hadn’t suffered something. It’s an almost undefinable quality that is easily discerned if you’ve been through some fire yourself—hupomona, a quality of character that is only produced through the fiery furnace of testing. James is saying, the trial is worth it because you get something in your character you would not have had otherwise.
Paul uses the same word in Romans 5:3.
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Rom 5:1-4). Notice how Paul uses the same pattern James does. Romans 5:3 “And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations” how? “knowing” knowing what? “that tribulation produces perseverance (hupomona).
So we don’t take joy in the tragedy itself. We take joy in what God is going to work in us as we deal with the tragedy. It’s not a good thing to lose your job. But if we respond right, God can produce a good thing in us in the midst of that trial.
Look at the transition of James 1:3 to verse 4. “But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” The key to understanding that statement is the Greek word, teleios—translated perfect. Unfortunately, when we think of the word perfect, we think sinless. But that’s not the idea in this verse. Teleios means to reach its intended purpose. The teleios of a cocoon is a butterfly. The teleios of a tadpole is a frog. So what is the teleios of a Christian? God is working in your life and mine to bring us to teleios perfection. Thank God I am not what I once was. But I’m also not what I will be when its all said and done. What is your teleios and mine? You will find it in Romans 8:29. Rom 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son...” Your intended purpose is to be like Jesus—and God’s going to get you there. Isn’t that good news.
Come back with me to verse 4 and see the flow of that statement. “But let patience have its teleios work, that you may be teleios...” Don’t interrupt the process. “We will sell no wine before its time.” Don’t pluck the apple while it’s green. Let it mature into a bright red delicious apple full of sweetness. James embellishes on the concept by adding, “complete, lacking nothing.” How many would acknowledge that there might be a few things still lacking in you? God is looking out there in the future to what He has designed you to be. He has also designed a process that will develop you into that. Too many Christians think the goal is heaven. There is a heaven but the important thing is that you and I be fitted for heaven. Here’s a key to understanding life that James lets us in on. God will sacrifice some of your comfort to prepare you for the eternity He has for you. He’s getting you ready to fill the place He has for you in His eternal kingdom. James encourages us to cooperate with that. Why? Because it will prove to be well worth it. We used to sing,
“It will be worth it all when we see Jesus.
Life’s trials will seem so small when we see Christ.
One glimpse of His dear face all sorrow will erase.
So bravely run the race ‘till we see Christ.”
That’s close to what James is saying here. Except James puts the focus on what God is producing in us so that we become what He has planned for us to be.
So we can consider it all joy when we fall into various trials because this quality called patience, endurance (hupomona) will be produced in us.
We can also rejoice in trials because
II. Wisdom will be given to deal successfully with the trial.
Verse 5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God....” The obvious question when we’re in a trial is what? What do I do about this problem? How am I going to handle this situation? Nothing will expose our need for wisdom like trials. So here we are between a rock and a hard place. We can do one of two things. We can lean on our own understanding and try to fix the mess ourselves. Or James suggests a better course of action. Ask God to give wisdom. Later James will describe this wisdom more fully. But for now we want to focus on this directive. What is another word for asking God? Pray. Later in James 5:13 he gives this instruction to anybody that’s in trouble. “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray.” In James 4:2 he says, “You do not have because you do not ask.”
So what’s going to happen when we ask for wisdom? James says, “God’s going to give it to you.” In 1:5 he says some things about God that are so important to remember when we’re in a trial. Not only does he say that God will answer the prayer and give the needed wisdom; but he says that God will do it in a way that will be very encouraging for you. He won’t reproach you. He won’t humiliate you in the process of meeting your need. The gift won’t come with a long lecture of how disappointed He is that you got yourself in this. Like the father in the parable of the prodigal son, He will open His arms to you and kiss you rather than scold you. He will generously put the robe on your shoulders and ring on your finger. Do you see the basis of assurance that God will answer your prayer? It’s not your performance. It’s not your remorse. It’s not your resolutions. It’s the character of God and His love for you as His child. The word translated liberally (haplos) could be translated “without hesitation.” We are coming to a loving, willing Father and asking for this wisdom. Remember what Jesus said in Luke 11:9-13?
"So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 11 If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"
So with all this assurance of the Father’s willingness to give what we need, James puts this one stipulation on the asking in verse 6. “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting...”
James paints the picture of the way the waves in the sea tossed back and forth by the wind. One day the winds blow the waves one direction; the next day they may blow it another direction. But there is no real progress for the waves. They are just being tossed about by external circumstances. He says that’s the way a double-minded man is. One day he decides to trust the Lord and serve Him. The next day he gets with the wrong crowd and decides to do his own thing. Then he fells bad about that and decides maybe he will trust and obey after all. But James says, that kind of two-souled activity will get you nowhere. Most of the people I have heard say, “This Christianity just doesn’t work” were doing exactly what James describes here. They would pray and trust God for a little while but pretty soon they’re running their own life and doing their own thing. That goes on back and forth and finally they’re saying it doesn’t work. Well, it was never designed to work that way. Get in or get out. Decide to follow Jesus and trust Him whatever the direction of the wind.
When we make an undivided commitment to trust God all the way through the trial then there is full assurance that our heavenly Father will guide us through the whole process. Why doesn’t He just make all the problems go away; He is big enough to do that. Yes, but He loves us too much to do that. There is too much to be gained by the process to discard it prematurely. Instead God will give wisdom about how to handle it. And when we follow that we will get the most out of it.
So we can rejoice in the midst of our trials because our heavenly Father will give us everything we need to walk through it successfully.
We can also rejoice because in the process our
III. Perspective will be enhanced.
The world values all the wrong things. They pursue and cling to fools’ gold. There are paradoxes in the Kingdom of God that the world will never understand. In verses 9-11 James gives a perspective on things that lead to joy—not as the world gives—but as the Lord gives.
First he address the “lowly brother” in verse 9—the person who is unimportant in a social sense. Everybody knows who Bill Gates is; but who knows the names of the janitors in his building? As I mentioned at the beginning of this message, most of the first century Christians were quite poor and many had lost social position because of their conversion to Christ. James’ instruction to them is to rejoice. He tells them to glory in the exaltation of being a child of God. It’s like Jesus words to the church in Smyrna in Rev. 2:9 “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich)....” These lowly Christians James is addressing may have lost their worldly possession or may have never had any in the first place. And that does work certain hardships. But they can consider it all joy because of their relationship with God.
In verse 10 James turns his attention to the rich. There were not a lot of wealthy Christians in the early church but there were some. James says to them, “Here is your reason for rejoicing.” The reason is not that you’re a good Christian so therefore you have a lot of money. If you listen to Christian TV that might be what you would expect James to say. But, no, James says, “You glory in humiliation; you rejoice in the opportunity to humble yourself and be associated with lowly brothers and bear the reproach of Christ.” Why is that a reason to rejoice? Because it keeps everything in perspective. The riches are just a temporal blessing. One day you will die and it won’t matter a bit how much money you had. You can’t take it with you. So thank God that He came into your life and showed you what really matters. Thank God your life is not consumed with empty pursuits like money and power. You humbled yourself and found eternal treasure.
If we are going to consider trials pure joy, we’re going to have to stop thinking like the world-stop buying into the world’s value system. And see life from God’s perspective.
Look at the difference in attitude perspective makes in this clip.
Play “Perspective” from SermonSpice.
When our perspective gets right life feels a lot different. The old question, “Is the glass half empty or is it half full?” really matters. We can either cultivate a thankful heart or a grumbling heart. Israel found themselves in a hot, scorching dessert. The had good reason to thank God for delivering them out of a life of hopeless bondage in Egypt. For a short time they did rejoice. When we look at Exodus 15 immediately following the Red Sea experience they were a real happy group of people. They were counting it all joy just to be free from the oppression of Pharaoh. But that only lasted a few days. Then they were gripping about a need for water. And they complained about the manna. We’re tired of manna; we want meat. If it wasn’t one thing it was another. They were a double-minded group of people who wanted free from Pharaoh but didn’t really want to serve God either. They are the classic example of people who refused the process God had for them. Hebrews tells us they drew back from God and failed to enter into the teleios God had for them. Abraham stands in contrast to that. He had his struggles. He had his trials and temptations. But through it all he kept trusting God. Listen to what Rom 4:19-22 says about Abraham in the light of what we’ve heard from James. “19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. 22 And therefore "it was accounted to him for righteousness."
We can count it all joy when we fall into various trials because
IV. Victory will ultimately be experience. James 1:12 “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”– Blessed is the man who does what under trial? Endures – hupomeno—remember that word in verse 3? We talked about it being a character quality of hopeful staying power. We talked about it being something produced by the trial. But here we also see that it is something that gets us through the trial. Steadfast faith in God that stands and does not run—a settled confidence in God that is not ruffled by negative events—that is something that gets us through the trial but it is also its own reward. Because when we choose that course the great Giver—our heavenly Father gives us that and works it into who we become. And allowing Him to do that brings us successfully through the fire. Hupmeno is its own reward because it becomes a part of who we are—and being is the most important thing of all. It’s not so much an issue of where you wind up as it is who you become!
Persevering leads to a kind of approval that is honored by God. “...for when he has been approved (NIV says stood the test)—the word carries the idea of approved because it has stood the test. When I worked at Bell Helicopter we had a department called Quality Control.” Their job was to test the helicopter part that had gone through the manufacturing process to make sure it had all the qualities it was supposed to have in the end. It had to pass certain stress tests to be approved. When it passed those trials it was certified by the Quality Control Department.
Now James is looking at the end of the matter. Solomon told us in Eccl. 7:8 that the end of the matter is better than the beginning. So in verse 12 of our text James takes us to the end of the matter—at the Judgment Seat of Christ. He says to these Christians, “You hang in there because when its all said and done you’re going to receive something incredibly valuable—a stephonos –a crown of life. In those days an Olympics winner did not receive a gold medal. He received a stephonos in recognition for his success.
There is a lot more to Christianity than just getting born again and missing Hell. That is incredibly important. If you haven’t made the choice to open your heart to God and let him put His life in you, do so today. Don’t delay another minute. Do it now. Say to God, “I want to spend eternity with you so come into my heart and take over.” But being born again is the beginning of a process which is supposed to end like James describes in verse 12.
How does the athlete win the crown? He is disciplined. How does the Christian end up standing before God with the kind of commendation and honor James is talking about in verse 12? Discipline. Don’t shortchange yourself in this life by drawing back from the process God has designed for you. One star differs from another star says Paul in 1 Cor. 15. It’s not just an issue of getting into heaven. It’s letting heaven get into you. It’s cooperating with the work of God bringing you into victory. Without respect of persons, God makes that available to everyone here. Verse 12 concludes with this phrase, “...which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” We have a choice to love God or love the world. We have a choice to pursue the riches and honors the world offers or pursue the honors James is describing in our text. It’s up to us. It doesn’t just happen because we lived 70 years. It happens because God leads us into a process—He supplies everything we need to successfully maneuver the process—and then He rewards us for doing what He enabled us to do. That is grace. That is the heart of our Heavenly Father. That is something worth living for!
Let us pray.
For Footnotes/Sources go to www.crossroadsnixa.org
Richard Tow
Gateway Foursquare Church
Nixa, Missouri
www.GatewayNixa.org
